Eric Fitzgerald

Atmospheric Rivers and Other Meterological Misconceptions Atmospheric Rivers and Other Meterological Misconceptions It should come as no surprise to anyone that the popular media often sacrifices scientific accuracy on the altar of enticing clickbait entertainment. ..Read more Neowise Comet at Dawn Neowise Comet at Dawn The interplanetary interloper dubbed Comet NEOWISE has brightened surprisingly in the pre-dawn skies in the northwest. Officially designated Comet C/2..Read more Smooth Operator Smooth Operator Practical Etiquette for Successful Communication with your Family Radio (FRS) on the Neighborhood Networks Recently, we had..Read more   The Vernal Equinox The Vernal Equinox “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s Party!’” —Robin Williams Once again, on March 21st the length of the days and night..Read more Fernwood Rain Report 2021-2022 Season Fernwood Rain Report 2021-2022 Season Rain has returned to Topanga and the southland in a big way this last December. Over 10 inches of rain pelted the Canyon, including one storm that dro..Read more 2022-2023 Year-End Rain Report 2022-2023 Year-End Rain Report October 13, 2023 Our 2022-2023 rain year ended on September 30th and it was a juicy one. 41.27 inches of precipitation ranks number three in the 27..Read more   THE GREAT WINTER SOLSTICE OF 2020: Jupiter, Saturn and The Moon THE GREAT WINTER SOLSTICE OF 2020: Jupiter, Saturn and The Moon By Eric Fitzgerald The winter solstice on December 21st this year comes with an added attraction – a great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. “What is a conjunct..Read more Historic Rain Report and Fernwood’s 2020-2021 Season Historic Rain Report and Fernwood’s 2020-2021 Season The water year, or rain year runs from October 1 to September 30 every year. This last rain year was the second driest that I have recorded in 25 year..Read more Rain, Drought and the Omens: Fernwood Rain Report Rain, Drought and the Omens: Fernwood Rain Report By Eric Fitzgerald “Red sky at night is a sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning is a sailor’s fair warning.” —Old Seafarer’s Saying “When in evening, ..Read more   Fernwood Rain Report Fernwood Rain Report After quite a few dry Januarys, we finally have a juicy one. A series of potent winter storms rolling off the Pacific Ocean has all our waterfalls roa..Read more Fernwood Rain Report Fernwood Rain Report By Eric Fitzgerald A solid storm dropped 1.77 inches of rain on Fernwood on January 27th and 28th. While this was much welcome relief to an otherwise unusually dry Janua..Read more The Autumnal Equinox The Autumnal Equinox What is an equinox? In the simplest terms, an equinox is one of two days a year when every place on Earth receives roughly 12 hours of daylight and..Read more   The Backyard Astronomer: The Dog Days of Summer The Backyard Astronomer: The Dog Days of Summer The dog days of summer are upon us. Those steaming days in August when the warmth of the spring and early summer wears out its welcome and the heat ca..Read more